Oh, feel so bad for you. Do you have homeowners insurance??

Wow, I'm so sorry. I thought of this (hiding items) but not seriously. I wonder if this applies to china/crystal in cabinets as well? What a pain. I won't be in the house for most of our renovation.

my wife thought of this too and had me move her jewelry...i never would have thought of this b/c i, too, am too trusting.

sorry to hear about your situation!

oh yeah - I'd sure hide that stuff!

I would say something to the gc tho. if it wasn't him, he needs to know what 1 (or more) of his men are up to!

i would never leave while the work is going on, there are strangers in my house.

Talk to the GC and then call the police - it may not get your item back but it least it will be on record so you can file a claim with the GC's insurance.

Hide or remove everything valuable to you. You may not notice a special plate or a piece of crystal missing until you need it. Do not trust anyone working in your home....period! Better safe that sorry.

rjr220: i'm outraged! it's bad enough someone (a "professional" there for business?!) would decide to lift your friend's pearls ...but the meds as well?? btw: ADHD meds work a lot like speed in some adults, so obviously someone with a real problem. ok. i have to go move my jewelry now...

I would also be trusting of workers in my house. Thanks for the heads up. I want to reiterate chris45ny's question. Please tell us you have home*owners in*surance. Accidents happen during reno*vations. Neighbors near my parents lost their entire house to a fire because a worker forgot to turn off something. I am not sure you can rely on your GC's in*surance. (Why is Garden Web suddenly making links out of our posts?)

Erinb007,
This is terrible for you. I hate being robbed! The trust
is gone and feeling like someone took advantage of your
kindness. Just awful. I think you need to tell the GC
or head guy about this. Explain to him that you have
to call the police. And if you have an old photo of
the jewlery bring that to the police too. And if you are
lucky the thief will have a record and the police will
confront him.
~boxer

rjr220, (Good tip)

We had a delivery man rummaging through our medicine
cabinets. I could tell he was frustrated when he came out
of the bathroom. I don't think he realized I could hear
him going through drawers, cabinets etc...
And the only medicine in the medicine cabinet is our dog
stuff. Heart worm pills and dog ear infection ointment.

At the time I kept wondering what he was doing and it was
later chatting with a friend who said he was probably a
drug user and needed anything he could steal. I am so
clueless about this stuff. I have to laugh thinking all
he could take were HeartGuard and rub Frontline on his body.
Fool.

I know we are odd but my meds, vitamins etc. are by my
bedside table. Advil is kept upstairs in the linen
closet. Jewlery is in a hidden safe or the bank box.
Yes, I too have been robbed and now have a safe. It is
a shame but there are mean people in this world.
~boxer

This isn't as important as meds and jewelry, but make sure you put away your expensive tools and put your name on any tools/equipment you choose to leave out. In the first few weeks of our reno we "lost" extension cords, tools, brooms, garbage cans, etc. Funniest one was when the HVAC guy came back to go in the crawl space and opened his bag with ONE, yes one of my husband's expensive knee pads in there. My husband picked it up and said "Funny-I've got one just like this!" It wasn't about the money, just drove me crazy when I went to use something and it was gone.

Ditto to what Boxerpups has said....

Here's a view from the other side of the fence - I have had the "Rolex Test" done on me
a few times over the years.. I'm working in the customer's kitchen, and there's
a nice shiny ROLEX WATCH - laying up on the window sill above the sink...
Hmmmmm? WHY would anyone leave their watch there???

I ingore it and keep working, or call the customer in to the kitchen and let them
know that their watch is sitting up there, and ask them to move it as I
don't want to touch it... They'll usually get flustered because they genuinely
forgot to put it back on after they got done working in the sink....or-
they don't bat an eyelash and grab it...

I'm not interested in anybody else's "stuff" other than my own - thank you very much...
I already HAVE a Real Rolex of my own ( I should have saved my money - but that's
another rant!!!!)

I had a particularly humiliating experience once - I had to work in a guy's
master bedroom on a countertop for his wife's make up desk. AS I'M walking
down the hall and just about to go into the bedroom with my tools - the guy comes
RACING out the bedroom door just as I am going in - with a jewelry box
he's holding in both hands at chest height... Jeez Louise!! Dude - at least
do that BEFORE I GET THERE..... I am NOT a thief!!! The way he did what he did
that day - he kind of said - your good enough to work on my home - but not
good enough to trust.... I didn't let my anger over the situation show, but
he called me back over and over to come out and do more work for him - but
each time he wanted to book my time - I told him I was "busy" that day.
The only day I would have scheduled him for was either February 30th, or
the 12th of "never".......

Bottom line - most guys in the trades are honorable - but there ARE some dirt
bags that will steal from you - so gather up your important stuff that can
"grow legs" and safeguard it. If you don't want your stuff to get stolen -
don't leave it out for someone to "pocket".....

and ALWAYS put your Rolex back on AFTER you're done at your sink!!! HA!!!

my .02 cents worth

kevin

I am so sorry, Erin! I know how you feel.. My only nice necklace went missing after the sheetrocker was in. It was my first "grown up" piece of jewelry and my boyfriend saved up to get it for me. I'm glad the matching earrings were missed though :/ He was such a nice guy, I have been hoping it wasn't him and it will turn up, but it has been about 8 months by now.

And, how rude of that door guy! UGH.

Erin, that sucks. I'd definitely bring it up with the GC, and that's enough of a loss to get a police report as well.

We lost an iPod during our renovation - we have a home safe and put all our papers, jewelry and credit cards in there during reno, but DH has an iPod docking station in the temporary living room for music in the evening. One day we had two plumbing guys and three plaster guys in, and lo and behold, the iPod disappeared. The plumbers' boss vehemently denied it could be his guys because they were all his relatives or friends of his relatives. That made me feel better (*roll eyes*). By contrast, the office boss of the plasterers came over at 7:30AM the next morning with abject apologies, said he trusted his guys but you're never 100% certain, and understood when we asked that another crew come in to complete the job. I had strong suspicions that the plumbing guys were the culprits (both very young, and they were pissed off about something else on the job) but their boss's response solidified my suspicions.

Since then, we've been much more careful, even to the extent of buying a concealed camera and activating it when I have to go out during the day and leave workers unattended.

I am so sorry erin. I have been broken into several times over the years, and it makes me very sad.

Do tell him; if his is the only crew that has been in the house. Be low key. He may well be as disgusted as you are.

I would also say put stuff away, even move it off site, so you don't UNFAIRLY accuse the wrong people of taking your stuff. Sometimes things turn back up, or maybe they were stolen weeks ago by one crew and you notice their absence during a different crew's presence, and accuse them. Bad.

I don't know much about insurance, but even if you don't carry homeowner's all the time, might it be possible to get it for some period of time? Your house and your possessions are particularly vulnerable right now, as you noticed. Talk to a good local insurance company and they might find a solution for you.

I don't leave tempting stuff around my yard. I don't leave anything at all in my car, much less anything of value. I don't leave anything temptingly in view in my home through the windows. If I get a computer or a TV or anything, I crush the boxes and conceal them in the trash. I don't make myself a target outside my home. So I don't make myself a target inside my home either. I trust, I just don't tempt fate.

I hope they finish up soon and you get to enjoy your home!

We always left when we had our workmen here, and we trusted them not to steal anything. I am quite sure they wouldn't walk off with jewelry or any valuables. Well, obviously one of them had some sort of problem because one day my husband came home for lunch and opened his mail, which contained his mail order refill for a painkiller. He set it down somewhere and went back to work. A few days later when he needed a pill, he couldn't find it. That was a couple months ago and still hasn't found it. We have an inkling, but can't prove who took it and didn't mention it. He did fabulous work though.

Sorry, yes I have homeowners insurance, just not the extra jewelry blanket coverage that I think you need. I have my diamond earrings under this special policy.

Good update for you. This a.m. I said something to the GC..I was worried, because like someone said above, it's a family biz. Father, two sons and others. They were outraged and quickly knew who did it. Same guy I suspected. We filed a police report and the detective found one of the rings at a pawn shop! I am so happy! The contracting company is bending over backwards to apologize. They are even doing some work for free to compensate me. Good lesson learned for me. Since I work full time, I can't always be there when work is being done, but I will NEVER leave anything valuable out again. People are desperate, esp people with chemical addictions, which I suspected this kid had. The other ring has yet to turn up, but they offered to reimburse me for it.

I feel much better knowing they took me seriously and were as outraged as I was!

Thanks for your kind words.

This is a happier than expected outcome to a sad situation, Erin. I'm so glad for you.

Years ago, a burglar broke into several townho mes in my development, mine included. It is the eeriest thing to try to unlock your front door, be unable to and slowly realize that the deadbolt is broken. (A deadbolt?! Broken?! How could that be?!) When I finally entered, I wandered through my home in disbelief that this has happened to me. I kept thinking I was imagining it. It was only later that I realized how foolish this action was. I could so easily have encountered the burglar in action. Heaven help me if he'd been armed or hopped up on drugs or some other horrible scenario. I'll call the police and look like a fool if my fears prove unfounded before I ever repeat that stupidity.

I was already on the cautious side but this experience made me more so. All the same, your story has been a good reminder that it is better to be safe than sorry. And yes, it's not just jewe lry and electronics but drugs and identities that need to be shielded from the wrong people these days.

Excellent news.
A wonderful St. Patrick's day.
~boxer

Good news! Sorry you had to go through that.

I am one of the naieve, trusting kind, unfortunately. I have always been that way--sort of trusting people right from the get-go unless its blatantly obvious they are scum.) I have struck up a rapor (sp?) with my GC and his drywall/painter who has been here everyday for about three weeks. I make coffee for them and chat with the drywall guy every morning about one thing or another. He is from England and has some interesting stories for me. I trust him and have left him alone in the house most mornings. There are prescription drugs in the room next to where they are working and nothing has gone missing. (so far?)

But Im starting to think--especially after reading this--that I am being too naieve. Im going to hide the important stuff and no one will know the better.

Yes, Cawfeegirl-I used to be you and learned the hard way that it's our responsibility to not give them an easy way to take advantage. You can still makes friend, make coffee etc, but don't pretend for a second that you can know whether or not someone would take advanatage of you if given the chance. I will be so much less naive from now on. Glad I might have helped you as well. No matter how nice someone might be, if they have a substance abuse problem, they would steal from their grandmother to get a fix.

Best,
Erin

This story is a good reminder that if you have questions or problems, TALK to the person!

Not nearly every problem with a contractor is going to end in a fight. Give them an opportunity to solve the problem -- they may be very accommodating, as these people were.

I'm glad it ended better than you thought it would. If you'd waited, the ring would have been gone, and you'd have been looking at the whole crew funny for weeks. Now you can all get along.

A few years back we had electricians in the house from a company we've done business with before, but I didn't know the crew. My husband, god love him, had to leave and left them to lock up the house. Well, since he didn't give them a tip, which is customary, one of them decided to take an unopened bottle of liquor that I hadn't put away. I KNEW he did it, I just KNEW it, but I never said anything to the owner until a few months ago.

Against my husband's objection I told the owner when we had him back to get an estimate, that while I didn't see the fella do it, the bottle was there when we left and not there when we got back. He keeps meticulous records and was going to check on who was on the job. I just asked that whomever was on that day should not be on the crew that comes back for the work we needed done.

If I don't know the crew, they aren't left alone. That means that most of the time someone comes to my home, me or my husband are there. My painter and GC I trust without a second thought; everyone else is suspect.

Sue

Erin - yikes! So sorry that happened and I'm really glad that you spoke with the GC and especially that you got one of your rings back!

We moved out during our reno; the builders had keys and although we stopped by most every day, I'm sure they could have cleaned us out, and heck spent the night there too if they felt like it. But we knew the builders (one is in the neighborhood) and I guess we got lucky with the subs.

Good for you, Erin!
And an important reminder for all of us --

And yes, it's in the contractor's best interests also if the homeowners put away their valuables.
While it's a bit insulting, it's far better than to have one of his employees accused (or suspected) of taking something when it wasn't the case.

I had a pair of diamond earrings (OK - really good CZs in a heavy gold setting) go missing one day when my cleaning lady was here with her mother! I'd never had a problem with my cleaning lady, and don't think it was her. But how can you ask about someone's mother?...

Just put the stuff away!

I am so sorry you had this experience. Things like this leave one feeling violated.

I don't think it matters how friendly you may be with the crew, stuff happens. I try to be as nice as possible when people are here working, making coffee, handing out cokes or water, even baking cookies at times. Yet, I have been hit several times. It's very upsetting.

I have had a large antique china punch bowl stolen, various tools, plus dozens of bottles of champagne that my cousin had packed away in boxes I was storing for her - she's still mad at me and holds it against me that her bottles were stolen.

It's amazing how invasive some workmen can be when they want to steal something, because everything stolen was buried deep in boxes, not out on display. We didn't discover the thefts until long after they were gone. It was sickening. Who knows what else was taken as so much is still packed away.

I am about to have a lot more work done here and am worried about how to protect what I have. Believe it or not, last time I actually hid our silver under the floorboards - we have wide board floors and some were loose in a closet. Obviously, that's where I should have put the champagne. But, I never would have guessed anyone would have taken the big bowl which had been a special gift to me from my husband.

A pox on the thieves! I am thinking seriously of getting security cameras and simply letting every crew know we have an elaborate system. My brother is a contractor and has them all over his worksites.

Wanted to fill you in on the latest...the detective came by to show me pictures of more jewelry they found tied to this guy, I fully expected to see someone else's jewelry as I THOUGHT I had inventoried mine, but much to my surprise this guy had taken 6 or so more rings (most of which not worth a lot) and two expensive bracelets my Dad gave me forever ago that I had forgotten about. All of this was in a special jewelry box hidden in a moving box in the closet of my bedroom. GROSS. He was going through boxes in my room. I was SHOCKED to see more of my jewelry on his camera and am seriously pissed off at this point. No longer am I blaming myself for leaving my jewelry box out..he dug through my things to get to this. He is going to jail, which is a bit sad because he has a heroine habit and I know how tough those addictions can be, but I am so pissed. I will never feel the same again about having people in my house, which is probably a good wake up call.

It is nice of them to do some work for you, for free, but if they quickly new who did it they should not have that guy, working for them and in other people's home's. Who was watching this guy, when he, was going through your thing's. The owner, should be more careful who work's for him .Word get's around and people will not want his co, in their home. sharaz

I'm glad you are getting a lot of the jewelry back. Erin, your last email gave me a laugh because of the typo "heroine". Made me think that this guy has a habit for movie superstars. Thanks for the chuckle.

...and even if you're not living in the house under renovation! We're renting next door to our remodel, and our house was broken into today - midday, through the front door with a crowbar, on a busy street. A neighbor saw somebody leaving around noon that she took for one of our workmen, with his truck parked in front of our rental house. UGH UGH UGH.

I am glad the outcome was a good one, even though it was unfortunate to have happened in the first place.

When I was in my young 20's I dated a guy for 3 years who worked in the stone/flooring industry. His best friend did too - different company. They skipped around to a couple different companies in that time, maybe 7 in all. It seems that industry around here is very connected. But what stands out in my mind is the drug and alcohol addictions going in the industry, no matter the company, even in management and ownership with some of them.

After that small glimpse into the home construction/renovation industry, I too am leary of any workers in my house period.

I confess to even being skeptical of my kid's friends who are only 7 years old if I don't know the parents. It's a scary world and more important than ever to be mindful of who gets exposure to your life.

That said, I know there are trustworthy people out there and whenever I have to hire someone who will have access, I listen so closely to my gut. The teeniest, tiniest thing - a look in the eye, a mannerism I don't like, a way of presenting one's self - anything that makes me even slightly pause - I keep looking.

I'm glad you found your rings!

I have a funny story about hiding stuff. We had a contractor run off with our money and not finish our master bath so I was on high suspicion. Our new contractor (recommended by neighbors) was going to be coming the week I had my dd, and I had not met him, so I had taken off my wedding rings and hid them. I took them off b/c they were getting tight and I didn't want to wear them in the hospital. I don't really have other expensive jewelry. It took me 2 years and 2 months to find them! I had absolutely no memory of where I put them, I had turned the house upside down several times with no luck. I had hidden them in dd's closet for some reason, but turns out they were very safe....even from me! I knew they weren't 'lost' so I was hesitant to file for the insurance, although after 2 years I was about to.

And as it turned out the contractor has become personal friend and would have not touched a bowl of $100's sitting out on the counter! I do trust him 100% and he supervises anyone else who is in the house for me.

This is a real eye-opening post. I am among the too-trusting crowd. When I was working, I would leave the door open for repairmen from companies I have worked with for a long time. I've used the same plumber, heat/AC and painter forever. I have never had a problem but I think now I will be more careful.

I did have a stone mason here for a while to rebuild my patio. After they left I noticed that they had taken some of my push brooms and shovels from the garage and also my son's boom box radio. The radio even has his name written in large letters on it. None of what was taken had any real value but I never gave them permission to use it. If I hire someone to do a job, I expect them to bring their own tools. If they want to listen to a radio (which I hate but tolerate if it isn't too loud or Howard Stern), they need to bring their own.

I called the owner of the business, who has done several jobs for me, and he made sure it was all returned, but I was just so angry.

When my bathroom reno begins, you can bet that anything of value will be locked up and hidden, even though I just love my GC. Why put temptation in someone's path.

I did have all my prescription meds stolen from a hotel room once. Fortunately, I only brought what I needed for the trip. I told the people at the front desk and they just kind of shrugged their shoulders.

When I worked in a school that was undergoing a renovation, all the balance scales in the science lab disappeared along with my portable radio.